Two arrests after hare coursing gang hits villages

Chief Constable Nick Dean hoped the action would reassure people that the force was fully investigating "the criminality suffered by our communities last weekend"

Two men have been arrested after people in 4x4s caused havoc in parts of the Cambridgeshire Fens on Saturday, with complaints of hare coursing, criminal damage and dangerous driving.

A local councillor said lives were put at risk when speeding vehicles, reportedly driven by men in balaclavas, swept through villages and surrounding fields on Saturday.

Cambridgeshire Police said an 18-year-old man from Spalding and a 26-year-old man from Grantham remained in custody in Peterborough, on suspicion of violent disorder and attending a hare coursing event.

Police also seized four vehicles - three in Grantham and one in Essex - as well as hare coursing equipment.

People were seen churning up the fields in their 4x4s

The incidents took place in Fordham, Ely, Prickwillow, Littleport, Welney, Chatteris, Manea, Wimblington and Doddington, with further ones seen in neighbouring counties.

Farmer, Mathew Latta, told the BBC he saw about 13 vehicles and 70 people rampage across his farm.

He said the incident was "highly intimidating" and the damage to his land and crops would cost him thousands of pounds.

At the time of the incident he said he "had no help from the police, which was rather worrying".

Chief Constable Nick Dean apologised at a public meeting for a "failure by the police" to deal with the offenders.

He said he hoped the arrests would reassure the Fenland communities that a full investigation was under way.

Police from Norfolk, Lincolnshire and Essex, as well as the National Rural Crime Unit and National Wildlife Crime Unit, supported Cambridgeshire Police in the arrests

Mr Dean said he did not underestimate the impact of the incidents and the "devastation it has left behind".

"Earlier this week I committed to launching an investigation and bringing to justice those responsible," he said.

"We have a dedicated investigation team who have been working tirelessly reviewing the many pieces of information that have been coming into us since the weekend and have led to these arrests."

'Clear message'

Supt Andrew Huddleston, head of the National Rural Crime Unit, said: "What took place at the weekend across several forces is utterly disgraceful and a blatant disregard for both law and civilised society.

"The multi-force response, with specialist support from two national units, emphasises that it will not be tolerated and that we are committed to responding robustly.

"We hope today's arrests sends a clear message to anyone involved in this kind of behaviour."

Police said they would continue to appeal for help in identifying those involved and dedicated patrols would be in place during the weekend.